# Where can I download pieces of classical music?



## Cerberus87 (Apr 8, 2012)

Ever since I played Burnout Paradise while listening to Vivaldi's Four Seasons (as unlikely as it is, it comes with the game! along with other classical tracks), I've been interested in doing stuff like reading and writing with classical music in the background. I've found rock music (the stuff I like) kind of stays too much in the foreground, so I'm searching for something more soothing and I quite enjoy classical music, although I'm illiterate when it comes to it. Is there a place where I could download classical music tracks?


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## bulbasaur (Apr 8, 2012)

Good on you! Classical music helps calm the mind and provides a good atmosphere for study. Although these aren't necessarily the composers I like best, I think you might like them:

- Chopin is often more accessible, but not sometimes exactly the best choice for a relaxing atmosphere. Try his Nocturnes for background.
- Bach's Prelude & Fugue sets are good for background music, although they may require some musical background to enjoy fully and honestly might be downright boring without some
- Mozart is often relaxing and such, but maybe hard to relate to rock.
- Beethoven is just amazing, but not if you want relaxing. If you do, stay away from his later opuses. If you like rock, then this would be the closest you'll find in Classical.
- ditto Liszt, although you'll be hard-pressed to find _anything_ relaxing

Chopin: 
- http://www.ourchopin.com/music.html
- http://www.classiccat.net/chopin_f/index.php

Bach's Prelude & Fugues:
Book I: http://archive.org/details/Bach_Well-Tempered_Clavier_BOOK_ONE
Book II: http://archive.org/details/Bach_Well-Tempered_Clavier_BOOK_TWO

Mozart:
- http://www.classiccat.net/mozart_wa/index.php
- http://www.mp3classicalmusic.net/Composers/mozart.htm

Beethoven:
- http://www.classiccat.net/beethoven_l_van/
It's sort of hard to find much of him for some reason, as downloadable files, but there's lots on Youtube

Liszt: 
- http://www.lisztonian.com/titles/
- http://www.pianoparadise.com/downloadmp3/liszt.html
- http://www.classiccat.net/liszt_f/index.php

Other composers of note are Scarletti, Copland, Stravinsky, Rachmaninoff, Handel, Wagner, Debussy, Schubert, the list goes on and on. The catalogs I linked also have lots more composers, so poke around and don't be afraid to experiment. Happy listening!


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## Cerberus87 (Apr 8, 2012)

Thanks for the links! I'll dig through these and make my own playlist.


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## Datura (Apr 9, 2012)

May I recommend Phillip Glass? There's just something so... _pleasant_ about his minimalist compositions.

Then again, I find it easiest to concentrate with shoegaze playing in the background.


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## Phantom (Apr 10, 2012)

Check out the band Red. They have awesome music. It's a mix of rock and classical.


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## Silverwing (Apr 11, 2012)

Youtube pretty much has a video of every piece of music there is. You can probably just find videos of whatever music you're looking for in particular and use an online MP3 download service like http://www.youtube-mp3.org/.

And you should try listening to orchestra covers/instrumental versions of songs! I recommend this orchestral version of Coldplay's Viva la Vida. It's my personal favorite. Too bad it's only more than a minute long.. :(


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